BMW expands greentech cooperation with Toyota

Japan's Toyota and Germany's BMW on Thursday said they were deepening ties on developing fuel-cell technology and vehicle batteries as the auto giants push into the green market.

The automakers said they reached binding agreements on several strategies which also include the possible joint development of a mid-sized sports vehicle, with a feasibility study expected to be completed by the year's end.

"Toyota and the BMW Group are seizing this unique chance to lead the industry towards the future of mobility," Herbert Diess, a member of BMW's management board, said in Tokyo. "By doing so we will play a central role in defining tomorrow's vehicles."

The agreement would also see the pair work together on developing lightweight vehicle bodies and next-generation vehicle batteries. The development of fuel-cell systems has a target completion date of 2020, they said.

"The companies are convinced that fuel cell technology is one of the solutions necessary to achieve zero emissions," said a joint statement.

Under an earlier deal, the German automaker agreed to provide diesel engines for Toyota, a major player in environmentally friendly vehicles, as the Japanese firm looks to boost sales in Europe, where more than half of passenger cars are diesel powered.

Demand for lower-emission diesel vehicles is forecast to grow, with further technological advances in the field seen as crucial due to toughening emissions standards.

Your comments about this article

It's amazing to see the automotive industry is working together on how to make vehicles lighter and thus help to reduce Co2 emmissions to be more eco-friendly. I see that German car-parts suppliers will not lag behind to do this part of R&D as well as many car manufacturers. Germany¦#39;s Continental as well as her biggest shareholder Schaeffler have recently opened a New Technical Center and invested much in green car project. Schaeffler Group Introduces Hybrid Demo Vehicle to Test Green Vehicle Designs ,also Continental are going to build a retreading/ recycling plant in Germany which will provide sustainable solutions in tyre production and retreading. Now it seems competition is really fierce. I am looking forward to seeing all these innovative ideas to realize in the future to make human¦#39;s life better !!!

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